On 1 November 2026, at Volkshaus Thum the Erzgebirge Word of the Year was announced: “verhuhnebibeln” won the vote, according to the Erzgebirgsverein and several media outlets. The announcement was made at a public event in Thum; the presentation was chaired by Carmen Krüger of the Erzgebirgsverein board. The initiative has been run in partnership with the daily newspaper Freie Presse since 2017 and aims to keep the regional dialect in the public eye. (As at 1 November 2026.)
In local usage, “Verhuhnebibeln” is described as meaning “to ridicule, to make fun of”. A variant from the Upper Saxon dialect was already recognised in 2013 as Saxony’s most beautiful word of the year. For this year’s selection, organisers shortlisted 65 terms from around 500 submissions; a jury narrowed the list to ten candidates, from which the public could vote online or by postcard. According to the organisers, just under 2,500 votes were cast in total, about 2,000 online and 500 by postcard or email.
Alongside the winning word, the shortlist included familiar Erzgebirge expressions such as Bocksterz (forward roll), Dalg´n (a clumsy person), drham (at home), hunaksch (to tease someone) and zammnammsch (thrifty). The range of terms illustrates the different ways linguistic identity is reflected in everyday life, humour and people’s surroundings: some words describe physical traits, others behaviour or connections to home.
Beyond light-hearted entertainment, the initiative has a cultural-policy purpose: the Erzgebirgsverein and its partners see the vote as a way to preserve and document regional dialects. Cultural-policy stakeholders took part in the jury; those specifically mentioned included representatives of the state, regional media and cultural practitioners. The selection and public vote also prompt debate about standardisation, documentation and which forms of dialect will be passed down in future.
The initiative has limited practical institutional impact: it is primarily symbolic and attracts media attention; long-term measures to promote the preservation of the dialect remain the responsibility of cultural associations, schools and local authorities in the Erzgebirge. The announcement nevertheless traditionally draws tourist and media attention to the region, particularly to places such as Thum, where the closing event was held.
The information in this article is based on statements from the Erzgebirgsverein, announcements by the town of Thum and reports in regional media documenting the event on 1 November 2026.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).